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RR20AC Build Thread

Today was a good day. A window of no rain and my kit was delivered. Driver was awesome. Was suppose to be the very last stop on the truck. A 33 roadster was sitting over mine. In the garage now. Wow can't believe it is here. Thanks Factory Five!

Just got my inventory done after being gone for the weekend and then working nonstop. The body is now ready to come off. I am building the buck tonight. A few parts missing and a few on the POL. I am in Puyallup, Washington. Car still seems like a dream. Here is a picture at the build school end. Delivery In the garage.

Did you decide on an engine and trans yet? At build school, you were still considering a few options...

Was going with the Engine Factory till the Build school then went to Roush Plant and took a tour. Thought long and hard about paying an extra 4 grand for a name brand package I really liked. Then communicated with smeding. Really liked their engines. Right down to it I called Mike Forte on his B-day and we came up with an engine/tranny package that I really liked. Wow, I think I talked with everyone including EdwardB and have some good ideas in the works. I am so excited that I can finally do this. Jim

Is that a 20th anniversary car? The frame looks like silver instead of gray though. I see you chose IRS. What else can you tell us about your build plans. Also, and most importantly, looks like your wife might be clue'd in to all the fun she's gonna have riding in it when it's done. MOST important!

Hi David, your build is incredible, by the way. I have car #18 of 20. With the holidays and work, it has been hard to get going on the build. Still getting some parts and tools delivered. I am going with a 351w, 427 heads from Mike Forte. TKO600 and his hydraulic clutch. Body is on the buck now and I have to remove the few mounted panels it came with. The rest were boxed and powder coated. I think I will powder coat all of them to match the chassis. Should get the tires this week. Toyo proxies-R888s. ryanmac, I will have to follow your build. I did find a bias adjuster they talked about at the build school. It was at summit and looks easy to install. My wife is very supportive and has a quilt business that is helping to fund my build.

20th anniversary build - First Update

After taking the holidays off and then spending the next month researching for my build, gathering parts, powder coating, painting, I finally got going on my build the first week of February. Front end is almost complete. Just got the unisteer electric steering package two days ago. Have to make a mounting bracket for that still. Rear differential is in. It was easier than I thought it would be. My axles still are on back order along with the windshield. Engine was on the dyno last Friday and waiting to hear the results. I am about ready to put the IRS together minus the axles so I have a rolling chassis and will be able to get the engine -tranny in when they arrive.

20th anniversary build - another update.

Got some more done over the last two weeks. Worked on the IRS but had to stop because there are no CV axles yet. Really didn't want to get the rest of it together and take it all apart later. Spindles and hubs were painted with por 15 and the aluminum spindles were primed first with por15 self etching primer. Hope it holds? Did the heater install last night and it looks like the 2 1/2" box I made was enough to get the premade dash to fit with the glovebox. Working on building a mounting bracket now for my electra steering unit. I'll make it out of wood and then hopefully my brother will take it to the trade school he teaches at and get it made of metal. I think this location is the best and with a insulated extended hood toward the header it should fit perfectly. Next is the drop battery box from FFMetal. Here's some recent pics.

You have a very nice build going and I like the red on the IRS parts. You have a simple solution to moving the heater back to miss the glove box. Before you nail it down you may want to consider a revision. There have been a few comments about unwanted air that comes through when the heater is turned off because of the high pressure under the hood. It also lets the unwanted engine smells, if any, come through. Some build a box around the heater that ducts the air from inside the car and I have seen some that just bag it in the summer to stop the air flow. I have a AC/heater and it pulls air from inside the car rather than from under the hood so I don't have any real experience with the under hood air but thought you may want to research it a bit further.

Hi, King. Yes I thought about those issues when I built the heater box and figured I would mount some snaps or band a cover over the unit when not needed. I also may add a valve to the plumbing to stop the core from heating then too. Are you going for a top with the ac and all added. I'm not and trying to keep it as simple as possible for an open cockpit car. Most of the year in Washington is kind of cool and some heat can be nice. I'm going for fuel injection and I think smells won't be to bad. My car will be red and I think the red parts through the spokes of the 18 inch wheels and wildwoods will add a slight visual effect similar to my sport bike with red springs and brake parts. Took another look at your build and you really go the extra mile on things that can be done. Nice. I just put my ff metals battery box over the rear differential and it touches it. Not sure what to do other than raise the box about the height of a carpet install in the trunk and leave the cover uncovered with just powder coat showing. Just about got all my parts cut for my electric steering and will have them welded and powdered soon. Jim

Hi, King. Yes I thought about those issues when I built the heater box and figured I would mount some snaps or band a cover over the unit when not needed. I also may add a valve to the plumbing to stop the core from heating then too. Are you going for a top with the ac and all added. I'm not and trying to keep it as simple as possible for an open cockpit car. Most of the year in Washington is kind of cool and some heat can be nice. I'm going for fuel injection and I think smells won't be to bad. My car will be red and I think the red parts through the spokes of the 18 inch wheels and wildwoods will add a slight visual effect similar to my sport bike with red springs and brake parts. Took another look at your build and you really go the extra mile on things that can be done. Nice. I just put my ff metals battery box over the rear differential and it touches it. Not sure what to do other than raise the box about the height of a carpet install in the trunk and leave the cover uncovered with just powder coat showing. Just about got all my parts cut for my electric steering and will have them welded and powdered soon. Jim

When I decided on the AC I knew it wasn't going to do any good without a top so I got the FFR premium Top. It's a very nice design.

I think if you do the dropped trunk mod you could turn the battery box on its side like mine and mount it to the front wall. You'll have to use the Optima Battery but it makes access to the battery so much easier. With the full box like yours, it should be easy to structurally integrate it. The Optima might be shorter than what the box is designed for so you may be able to cut the box down and mount it as intended.

I have been working a lot lately so the build is kind of slow. I am almost done with my electric steering unit. Just need it powder coated. Thinking about the heater box drawing air from the engine compartment and everyone's fix, I think I may just make a type of shell around my unit with a air draw going through the firewall. Should be simple enough. I think I have a good idea on my dash mounting. On another project I used this method and it is still functional several years later. I will use some piano wire and some aluminum tube about the same diameter as the wire. Bend the wire and the tube together around the upper part of the dash. Then cut the tube in 2 to 3 inch lengths. After fastening every other one to the frame and dash with the wire inside, it will provide a way of holding it in place and ad rigidity to it. To remove the dash you just pull the piano wire from the ends of the dash and the dash comes free. It will line up easy, no bolts through the front. Also still no axles or windshield yet. Called them today and they said somehow I was left off the list but they are on the way now.

Thanks Rick, I have been on your build site several times. This forum is fantastic for getting things right. I'm going to try to get mine done in a year too. Would love to come up and see your car sometime. Looks like your about two and a half hours away. Have yet to ride in one of these things. Jim

Here's a picture of the premade dash. I am going to leave it as is. It has a grain to it and is set up perfectly for my needs.

Great idea for the heater box! You actually gave me an idea for what I want to do with mine, i am going to mount mine from the inside, but create a bump-out design like yours, but it will draw from inside cabin air. and then I will have a fresh air kit coming from the brake ducts also.

Someone else was talking about the fan engine in the cockpit being very loud so I made sure it was under the hood. After I install the v8 I will see how much room is left for a shroud to go over the unit with a intake that can be shuddered and come from the cockpit.

Thanks Rick, I have been on your build site several times. This forum is fantastic for getting things right. I'm going to try to get mine done in a year too. Would love to come up and see your car sometime. Looks like your about two and a half hours away. Have yet to ride in one of these things. Jim

Welcome to stop by anytime Jim I'll PM you my info. I've had 3 forum visitors in the past 5 day, another member stopping tomorrow from Sammamish on way home from Canada trip. I didn't get my first ride until well into the build

I have a roadster due sometime April or May and also am using electric steer. I see that it is solid mounted to frame. But am curious as to
the tin on the left side. Looks to be a heat shield for the motor?

On another note someone posted that unisteer has a variable assist module instead of only all on or switched off. I am thinking of trying
it and see if I can link to engine harness to make it speed dependent on the amount of assist.

Yes that is a heat shield. I will lizard skin the back side for heat protection from the header. I do have the variable assist module that has to be mounted on the bracket I made. The 3/4' tube it is mounted to is very thin so I used steel wool as a binder and JB Weld two make a 1 inch solid space for the grade 8 bolts to pass through. This will keep the tube from crushing. I am not quite satisfied with my end I made on the lower steering shaft so I am having it machined out of a solid piece. One thing I don't like about the manual steering rack is the boots on the rack rub the frame. May be a different design change.

20th anniversary build - axles installed

Worked on the car this week. Been busy with everything else but lately. Seems to go together easy. Still having fun. Got the axles a week and a half ago. So work on the rear end after a long wait. Also got the pedal box in. Going with a hydraulic clutch which is due in about a week with the engine tranny package. The box was over toward the drivers side about quarter of an inch and the rear mount wouldn't line up on the frame so I expanded some of the holes sliding the box that quarter to the right. This seemed to aid in the trimming the clutch pedal needed. Still should be plenty of room with that expanded foot box. The cut acts as a clutch stop. Mounted the e-brake. Next up is the gas tank and brake and fuel lines.

20th anniversary build-Panels, gas tank, Battery box

Marathon 2 days worth of work, hope to some of these panels glued and riveted Wednesday. Engine is going to be delivered today or tomorrow. Figured I better take a few days off to try and catch up with some of you incredibly fast guys.

20th Anniversary build- Update

An evening to update my post. Well, it has been awhile. Spring and summer came and took opportunities away from me to work on my kit. Then my computer was some how hacked and I formatted and had to reinstall everything. Got going again and now its time for some updates. I would like to thank everyone that posts their progress and mostly Paul for his detailed write-ups. Sure gives us all good ideas and makes it easier to succeed.

First things I got going on again were the brake and fuel lines. Used some matching paint. Worked on my reservoirs which I had ordered two more for the two for brakes and one for the forte hydraulic clutch. Sealing up the firewall, I noticed some missing parts on the front of the drivers side foot box. Factory Five said it was the wrong one sent with the kit and they would send a new one. Well, I was to far along to want to replace the whole piece so they made a patch for the front. Next I finished up the wiring to the back of the car with the breeze larger cable kit and the switch on the back wall of the cockpit. Built a charcoal vapor canister. Finished up the rest of the panels and worked on the seat heaters and the breeze seat pans. I like the way they tip back, very comfortable. After sanding down everything inside the trunk and cockpit I have been taping for a few days. I hope to get the lizard skin sprayed this labor day weekend and move on to some more wiring before the engine install in a couple of weeks. Sure feels good to get going again. I also contacted Miller Customs about body work and paint. May be an option in the future. Its great to have experience on your side.

20th Anniversary build- Update

More Pics.
Also ordered the GP headers for the 351w. The BBK headers that came with the kit didn't really fit with my fuel injection system setup. May need to sell these sometime. Oxygen sensor location is now under the hood instead of under the passenger door.

20th Anniversary build- Lizard Skin

Saturday I applied two coats of sound control in my shop, Today I topped it off with two coats of ceramic insulation. This part of the process was rather easy compared to two days of taping. Seems rather thin but sticks very well. Took the tape off while it was still drying. Here is the results. Will be working on some more wiring then the engine install next.

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